


The Man in the Mirror

by ThatWeirdFangirl



Series: Blurryface/Spooky Jim Universe [2]
Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Blurryface is the best wingman, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Mirror people, Pining, anxiety attack, what even is this?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 02:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8648047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatWeirdFangirl/pseuds/ThatWeirdFangirl
Summary: Tyler is in denial of his love for Josh. Blurryface *tries* to help him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> What even is this? 
> 
> Not beta'd
> 
> Suggested by Misty Huepers a long time ago. 
> 
> TW: Anxiety attack. Not in great detail, but be warned. 
> 
> Thank you for reading.

Tyler stepped out of the shower, reaching for a spare hotel towel to wrap around his waist. He reached for his toothpaste and toothbrush and brushed his teeth as he wiped the condensation off of the mirror with his hand. He spit into the sink, bending down to rinse his mouth with water, before meeting eyes with his reflection. 

"Crap," he hissed as red eyes returned his gaze in the mirror. He pressed a hand to the mirror and saw black stain on his reflection's body. "Blurry. What are you doing here?" 

The reflection smirked at him. "C'mon Ty," the voice in his head replied. "Can't I just come check up on my mirror counterpart?" 

Tyler sighed as he rested his forearms on the counter. "Josh could be back any minute, and you always have a reason when you visit. Make it quick." 

The reflection, Blurryface, frowned as he assumed a position that mirrored Tyler's own. His red eyes sparkled though, a mischievous glint that left Tyler's stomach churning. "Tyler, I care about you. I care what you think. I know you probably better than you know yourself." A sigh. "Which is why I'm here to help you."

Tyler chuckled as he used another towel to dry his hair. "Help? What do I need your help with?"

"Josh." Blurryface said teasingly as Tyler threw the towel at the mirror. "But seriously, the pining is getting a bit much, Tyler. It hurts my head. I can't imagine how you're managing. You've got it bad."

"I do not." Tyler couldn't meet his eyes in the mirror. Instead, he busied himself with stepping into a clean pair of boxers and running a comb through his damp hair. "I have to go. Have a show tonight."

"Just think about it, Tyler. He's your best friend. You can tell him anything." Blurryface's eyes softened for a moment, an encouraging smile appearing on his face. "He loves you just as much as you love him. You deserve each other. I just want to help it along."

Tyler opened the door to the bathroom without looking at his reflection. He flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling as he tried to calm his pounding heart. Josh couldn't love him, could he? Tyler was...Tyler. And Josh was amazing; he was Tyler's friend, his partner-in-crime, his world. Tyler couldn't tell him, couldn't lose what they had. Then he would be left with Blurryface, and while Blurry meant well, he couldn't hold Tyler when the world was falling apart. 

***

He was still staring despondently at the ceiling when Josh returned with coffee. As the door's opening jarred him from his thoughts, a single tear rolled down his cheek and he rolled over onto his side, pretending to be asleep. 

Footsteps stopped at the foot of his bed. Cups were set on the bedside table between the two beds, and Tyler felt a bed dip behind him. Calloused fingers ran through his hair, and he reveled in it. 

Josh sat like that for a few minutes, his fingers tangled softly in Tyler's hair, breathing slowly, softly. It calmed Tyler, momentarily settled the buzzing feeling in his head and the crawling of his skin that had manifested itself since Blurry's visit. Tyler found himself drifting, dozing. He may have been dreaming, but he thought that he felt a warm body press against his and a strong arm around his chest just before he fell asleep once more. 

***

Tyler couldn't speak. He couldn't move. The dressing room had huge mirrors; why wouldn't it? It was a dressing room. But mirror meant that he could see his reflection, and seeing his reflection meant that Blurry could appear and he couldn't deal with that voice in his head right now. He just couldn't. 

He sat in a tight ball, his knees pulled up to his chin, his eyes shut tight as he tried to block out the world, to block out Blurry's urging and his own feelings for Josh. He needed to get up; he had to put on his makeup for the show, but he needed a mirror to put on the black paint. His limbs were frozen, and he could feel his ability to breathe quickly leaving him. 

Josh entered the room, Oreos and two Red Bull cans in hand. He had his red eye makeup on already, his faded pink curls getting in front of them occasionally. He glanced at Tyler, then set everything softly on the table. He then moved to Tyler's side, approaching him quietly, gently. 

"Hey Ty," he whispered as he tried to get Tyler to look at him. "Can I touch you?" A nod. Josh wrapped an arm around Tyler, pulling the man into his chest. He breathed deeply, knowing that Tyler would soon begin to copy the smooth rhythm of his chest moving up and down. 

"Can you speak?" Josh whispered. Tyler shook his head. No. 

"Okay then." Josh breathed as he ran a warm hand up and down Tyler's back. "Do you want to go out there tonight?"

A nod. 

"Can you go out there tonight?"

Hesitation. Another nod. His eyes remained shut. He let out a small whimper as he clutched at Josh's shirt. 

"Can you put your makeup on by yourself?" Frantic head shaking. That's a negative. 

"Is it the mirror?" A nod. 

"Can I put your makeup on you?" Again, hesitation, then a small nod. 

"Okay. It's going to be okay, Tyjo. We're going to be okay." Josh sat Tyler up slowly, then moved to get the black paint. If his hand lingered for a few seconds longer than necessary as he applied the paint to Tyler's skin, well, nobody had to know. 

***

The show was one of their best yet, and any previous anxiety had quickly dissipated once Tyler had seen the fans. They were just as much a part of his world as Josh was. 

Still floating on the adrenaline high, Tyler led Josh to the dressing room, where they collapsed onto the sofa. Tyler rubbed his face as Josh reached for the remaining Oreos. 

"Dude, you've got smudges all over your face." He laughed as Tyler pulled a face and walked to the mirror to look at the smudges. 

There were fingerprints on his face, and then suddenly there weren't. His brown eyes met red ones in the mirror and he tried his best to remain casual. He couldn't let Josh know about Blurry; he'd think that Blurry was just a hallucination or a metaphor like everyone else, and then he'd leave. 

"Tell him." Blurry whispered. 

"I'm not seeing it." Tyler said to Josh, but eyed Blurry, a silent order for him to stop talking. 

"Really? You sure?" Josh replied as he stood from the sofa, stretching and making Tyler want to tackle him and kiss him right there. 

"Kiss him." The reflection hissed. 

"Yeah, maybe I'm just missing it entirely. Just let it go." Tyler murmured as Josh stepped close to him, invading his personal space. He could smell the sweat on Josh's body, could see the how the remnants of his red makeup got caught in his eyelashes. 

A hand reached out to cup Tyler's cheek and time seemed to stop. Brown eyes were now focused on a different set of red eyes, well, red makeup, and Tyler held his breath. 

"Right here." Josh sighed as he brushed a thumb over Tyler's cheek. 

"Kiss him." The voice called, and Tyler was so very tempted to listen to it. Instead, he glanced at the mirror. Red eyes and black paint looked back at him, but so did red rimmed eyes and bright red curls. 

Tyler glanced back at Josh; his hair was a faded pink though, and his makeup was partially faded. The reflections also seemed closer than he and Josh were...

And then the figures in the mirror were kissing, and he and Josh were...not. 

"Ty," Josh whispered, eyes flickering to the mirror before meeting Tyler's face again. "Look at me."

Tyler swallowed, then centered his eyes onto Josh's once more. He placed a hand over Josh's fingers, keeping Josh's hand on his cheek. "Josh..." 

"Tell me to stop. Tell me that you don't want..." 

"Kiss me." Tyler breathed, and suddenly the two men were copying their reflections in the mirror. 

A jolt of energy shot through Tyler's spine, and he felt almost giddy as soft, Oreo-sweet lips that were tinged with salty sweat met his. He didn't want it to end. 

"See, I told you." He heard from the mirror. Surprised, he jumped, falling into Josh's arms. Josh chuckled as he moved them to the sofa. 

"Please tell me that you see the people in the mirror too." Josh whispered. "I've seen Spooky Jim before, but not yours."

"His name's Blurryface." Tyler replied as he buried his face into Josh's neck. "And they can both get out of here, and give us some privacy." 

"Fine, we see how it is." Blurry called from the mirror, his hand grasping Spooky's. "Spooky and I are going to go make out now, so you kiddos have fun. Don't do anything we wouldn't do."

And then the reflections returned to the current scene, showing a tired Tyler and a smiling Josh, curled up on the sofa. No red eyes were to be seen, and both men felt at peace. 

"I love you, Ty."

"Love you too, Jishwa." 

"So I wasn't having hallucinations all those times that he appeared?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Maybe it's just mirror people. Let's go to sleep."

"But Ty..."

"We'll talk about this tomorrow. Goodnight, Jishwa."

"Goodnight, Ty."


End file.
